The Sargeroth Guard
The Sargeroth guard is a fluid military structure which has taken several different shapes with various leaders beginning in the late stages of the 2nd era. Its evolution is described here. Early Identity As Sargeroth took shape from a village into a metropolis, it became clear to everyone that there should be some body of soldiers whose job it was to protect the freedom of Sargeroth and keep out creatures and other dangers surrounding the population. Both the Glorans and Blumens made appeals to the Elders of the city who lightly governed at the time but both Baraldi Gloran and Nadir Blume were elders and could never agree on any subject. They both vied to be the leaders of Sargeroth's military with their own soldiers protecting the entire population themselves. The Glorans were utterly incapable of properly protecting Sargeroth with their inconsequential numbers and it was known that the Blumens could only be trusted to protect their own interests. Therefore, in secret, the other elders met and decided that both soldier and civilian were necessary for Sargeroth, but not one which had any connections whatsoever to a Clan. If the people of Sargeroth were to be unbiasedly protected and governed, it had to be done by unClanned Sargerithians. First Era recruitment During the first era, it was nearly impossible to recruit soldiers for the Sargeroth Guard. There was very little public money because all revenue was going increasingly into Kessel, Gloran, or Blumen hands, as well as those of the other noble houses. However, a measly 10 soldiers were brought in as the first generation of Sargeroth guardsmen. They did little other than report disturbances to the Elders and kill the occasional creature that found its way into the city. Their interaction with House Guards were what one might expect; lots of insults hurled back and forth, but the people of first era Sargeroth were not the violent types we see today. As the rapid expansion of the second era occurred however, their numbers began to rise and with them, their influence. Second Era As conflict between the Noble houses became more and more of an inevitability, the unClanned masses clamored for the ability to defend themselves against the clans' selfish desires. The Elders finally gained traction with the populace only after the Gloran and Blumen leaders were nullified as Elders. The surge in popularity this gained them allowed rapid recruitment of soldiers, some accepting no pay as long as they would be given their own sword which they would be trained to use for combat. Within a matter of 10 years, the ranks of guard soared from just above 30 to over 350 soldiers. There was still no concrete hierarchy however, with just 3 "Captains" who controlled equal numbers of troops. Gaurds were garrisoned around the city and while one was off duty, he could do as he pleased. This system was incredibly lucrative for the every day Sargerithians needing to support their families and it was embraced by the community. The guard were seen as honorable men, willing to risk their lives for their protection, even if they rarely had the need for it. They maintained an air of hardened soldiers but the vast majority were severely ill-trained. It was not until after the Division war, towards the end of the era, that a proper Military structure was adopted. The 3rd Era After the Division war, it was clear that the Sargeroth Guard could no longer simply be a group of part-time conscripts. However it required a strong leader to create a more defined organization. With an old and grizzled Khal Menion acting as Lord of Affairs, the vacuum was soon filled by Yorefi Talinblade. Under his leadership, the Sargeroth guard trained and recruited more vigorously than it ever had before. Hundreds joined up, some enticed by the above-average pay, others simply wanting to gain honor. Yorefi set to pounding the new mass of recruits into a well-trained legion. His efforts would soon be tested with the conflict following the assassination of Khal Menion. Insurrection